Chapter 47: He Xu's Gambling Addiction
He Shi hurried to the entrance of the Xie residence.
But she was stopped by two young servants guarding the gate: "Without the madam's permission, concubines from the inner courtyard are not allowed to leave the residence."
He Shi knew this rule existed in the Xie household, but she never imagined she would be constrained by it.
Back when she was Nurse He, because she served by the master's side and enjoyed his deep trust, no one in the entire residence dared to disrespect her.
In those days, she could go anywhere she pleased within the Xie residence, and no one would dare stop her whenever she wanted to leave. Everyone addressed her respectfully as Nurse He, and no one dared show her a displeased face.
But now, having risen from a servant to half a mistress, she actually had less status than when she was a slave.
Previously, relying on the master's favor, she moved through the residence with ease.
Now that the master had grown impatient with her in every way, she could only depend on herself. She needed to get some silver in hand first, so those maids and matrons would willingly carry out tasks for her.
Thinking of this, He Shi headed once again to Sheng Residence.
After Ting Shuang went in to report, she brought He Shi into the side hall.
Yun Chu set down the account book in her hands and said, "Concubine He, what business do you have leaving the residence? As far as I know, you're from Jizhou, and your maiden family is there too. If you need to buy anything, there are servants and matrons in the residence—just give them an order."
He Shi lowered her head and replied, "This humble concubine has deposited some silver in the bank and wishes to withdraw it. I don't feel comfortable entrusting this matter to others."
"Money matters indeed cannot be handled carelessly." Yun Chu nodded. "However, it's still somewhat unsafe for a woman to go out alone. I'll assign you a coachman."
He Shi quickly expressed her thanks.
The carriage traveled to the bustling market and stopped in front of the bank. He Shi instructed the coachman to wait there while she circled around the bank and entered the adjacent alley.
In this alley stood a small courtyard that belonged to her. When she first came to the capital with Xie Jingyu and couldn't immediately enter the Xie residence, she had lived here for several years with her three children. He Xu, after being thrown out of the Xie residence, had probably come here.
She walked to the courtyard gate and tried to unlock it with her key, but it wouldn't open no matter what she did.
A matron who had once been acquainted with her, standing at the neighboring courtyard entrance, said, "Madam He, it's been many years since I last saw you. After you sold this courtyard, I thought I'd never see you again."
He Shi was shocked: "I didn't sell this courtyard."
"Half a year ago, your brother brought a property agent and sold the house for only twelve hundred taels of silver." The matron shook her head. "I wanted to inform you at the time, but I didn't know where you lived. Just half a month ago, I encountered your brother on the street—he was calling gambling companions his sworn brothers. Madam He, you should be careful."
He Shi's heart sank heavily.
This courtyard had actually been sold off cheaply by that good-for-nothing brother of hers.
When she bought it originally, it had cost eighteen hundred taels. With land prices in the capital being expensive now, it should have sold for around three thousand taels. How dare he sell it for just twelve hundred?
Back in Jizhou, he gambled every day. She had gone through great trouble to reform him. He had promised her that after coming to the capital, he would never step into a gambling den again. She had always believed he kept his word. She truly never expected him to secretly sell the courtyard behind her back.
She still had two thousand taels of silver in his possession. Without even thinking, she knew that money was certainly gone too.
Forcing a smile, He Shi exchanged a few pleasantries with the matron before immediately heading toward the capital's gambling den.As soon as she reached the entrance, she saw a man being kicked and punched, covering his head while desperately begging for mercy.
"See this? This is what happens when you owe our gambling den money and don't pay it back!" A burly man hauled the beaten man up from the ground and landed a fierce punch. "This is just the interest! If you don't repay within three days, we'll chop off your fingers!"
The onlookers nearby recoiled in fear.
He Shi gasped in shock and rushed over. "Let him go!"
The burly man glared coldly at He Shi. "Who are you to him? We'll release him once you pay off his debt!"
He Xu, as if seeing a lifeline, cried out, "I owe them two taels of silver, but with interest it's twenty taels! Hurry up and pay them back for me!"
He Shi drew a sharp breath.
Borrow two taels and repay twenty? Wasn't this outright robbery?
She didn't have twenty taels—she didn't even have twenty copper coins on her.
"You have jewelry, don't you? Hand it over quickly, or I'll be beaten to death!"
No sooner had He Xu spoken than the thugs' fists rained down on him again. Soon, his face was swollen like a steamed bun.
No matter what, he was still her own brother. He Shi couldn't harden her heart enough to watch her elder brother being beaten by a mob. She quickly relented, "Alright, alright, I'll repay the money for him."
She took off the two green bracelets from her wrists, the hairpin from her head, and a ring, handing them all over.
The burly man shook the items in his hand. "Smart move. Consider the debt settled. Now get lost!"
He Xu scrambled up from the ground, grabbed He Shi, and hurried away.
"The condition for bringing you to the capital was that you'd never gamble again. But now you've lost everything! How could you do this to me?" He Shi felt like strangling him. "Go back to Jizhou right now. Don't cause any more trouble for me here!"
He Xu sneered. "Now that you're the Xie family's Concubine, you look down on your own brother, is that it? Hurry up, give me money. I need to win back my losses."
He Shi's vision darkened, and she nearly fainted.
Her courtyard had been sold—two thousand taels gone. Her jewelry was all gone. All her assets had been squandered, and she hadn't even complained. Yet this scoundrel had the nerve to turn the tables on her!
"All I have left are these few copper coins. Take them, take all of them!" He Shi threw the coins on the ground. "I no longer have a brother like you!"
She turned and walked away.
She had expected He Xu to chase after her, but when she looked back, she saw her brother crouching on the ground, picking up the coins one by one, then heading straight back to the gambling den.
He Shi was utterly disappointed. She never should have brought He Xu to the capital.
Now, she could barely take care of herself. She had no energy to manage He Xu anymore. Even if the gambling den thugs beat him to death, he deserved it.
After He Shi left, a servant emerged from a street corner and approached He Xu. "Steward He, with just these few coins, you won't get far. Better to borrow more to win back your losses."
He Xu sighed. "Those moneylenders only lend if you have property or jewelry as collateral."
"I know a place where you can use your fingers or arms as collateral. One finger can get you ten taels," the servant coaxed persuasively. "Steward He is quite skilled at gambling, just a bit unlucky. I'm sure if you try a few more times, you'll win back the thousands of taels you lost..."
He Xu was clearly tempted and followed the servant into a nearby alley...
Ting Feng reported the entire incident in detail to Yun Chu.Yun Chu was lighting incense, gently stirring the ashes as she remarked in a light tone, "Fingers and arms are worth mere pennies. Tell him if he pledges what matters most to a man, he can borrow two hundred taels."
Ting Feng stood frozen in place.
Ting Shuang nudged her. "Go quickly."
Yun Chu closed the incense burner, the subtle scent of pinewood spreading through the room.
In her past life, Ting Feng and Ting Xue had suffered defilement by He Xu. This time, she would first eliminate that troublemaker between his legs, ensuring He Xu would never have the chance to violate any woman again.
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